Method of reclaiming of worn car axles



Dec. 25, 1922; 1,696,217

'w. H. STOCKING METHOD OF RBCLAIMING 0F WORN CAR AXL BS Filed Feb. 15. 1928 WITNZSSES mvzm'on Patented Dec. 25, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER H. STOCKING, OF COBAOPOLIS, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO PITTSBIIRGH FORGINGS COMPANY, OF CORAOPOLIS, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELA- WARE.

METHOD OF RECLAIMING OF WORN CAR AXLES.

Application filed February 15, 1928. erial No. 254,398.

My invention relates to the reclaiming of worn car axles, and consists in a method whereby a worn axle may be made over to the next smaller size with economy of material and with restored strength of material; and a method which may be performed with greater facility than hitherto has been achieved.

The accompanying drawing shows fragmentarily in side elevation the axle of acar wheel and will serve to illustrate the ensuing description.

A car axle such as my invention contemplates is an integral steel forging.- Itincludes and consists of the following parts, a medial body 1, and, at each end, a wheel-seat collar 2, a wheel seat 3, a dust guard 4, a journal 5, and an end collar 6. It is the journal 5 and end collar 6 which in service are subjectto greatest wear, and when these parts of an axle have worn away to a certain extent, the axle is unfit for further service. It may then be worked over, and its worn portions may be brought again to such size as will eventually on machining make an axle of the next smallcr size. The axle brought again to useful shape, will, since it is smaller, require brasses of correspondingly changed size and curvature.

In the )ractice of my invention I upset the ends to ootain su'lhcient diameter of journal portions and then I take from the body 1 the metal necessary to restore to the article its necessary length. Incidentally, I heat and forge the article throughout all its extent, and by forging at such elevated. temperatures I improve the quality and texture of the material, which in previous service had suffered deterioration, and restore it again to its initial high quality.

In the practice of my invention, beginning with a worn and discarded axle, I first put the axle on a lathe and cut away the p ripheral enlargements which constitute the end collars 6. I then have an article of the original length, with the worn cylindrical journal portions 5 continued at substantially uniform diameter to the ends.

My next step is to heat to forging temperature and then to upset the two ends in a die.

In so doing I fill'out the journal again to a larger and approximately true cylinder terminating in a new end collar. The article then is of somewhat diminished length over all, and the reformed journalportions 5 are at this stage somewhat shorter than normal. They may be somewhat less in diameter also than originally they were. That is to say, the upsetting may not have been carried so far as to restore them to their original diameter.

Then, after reheating the article again, I swedge it between swedging dies throughout the length of the medial body 1, and I carry this swedging to such extent, that the article is brought to proper length.

Finally, when the axle is cold again, I anneal or normalize, to remove strains, and then when cold, I machine the whole end, bringing portions 3, 4, 5, 6 to accurately finished shape and size and condition of surface. And in this machining ste 3 I cut away the wheel seat collar sufficiently las is quite practicable) to restore to these parts their full and standard lengths. It is the heating and the working of the heated metal, throughout all the length of the article, that improves its quality, corrects the deterioration which in its pastservice the material had suffered, and restores it to its initial condition of strength and durability. v

I claim as my invention 1. The method herein described of reclaiming worn car axles which consists in trimming away the end collars, heating to forging temperature and while so heated upsetting the end portions with new end collars, swedging the medial body throughout all its extent, and finally machining the ends.

2. The method herein described of reclaiming a worn car axle which consists in trimming away the end collars, heating and upsetting the ends, annealing, reheating and swedging throughout all its extent the medial body and so bringing the axle to proper length, and finally machining the ends.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

WALTER H. s'rocmno. 

